


something in the air

by sangi



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-09-11
Updated: 2007-09-11
Packaged: 2018-03-13 15:11:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3386333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sangi/pseuds/sangi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Don’t worry,” he assures, grinning like a fool. “I’ll be careful with her.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	something in the air

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted in 2007, moved here for archival reasons.

1\. melt into the crowd

She’s smiling up at him, one arm linked tightly with his. “I’m so glad that you decided to come to the market with met today, Zuko.” She’s still smiling as she walks over to a vendor (dragging the prince along with her). When she’s done talking to the merchant and they’re walking again, she continues. “I mean, I didn’t think you could take a whole day off from being Fire Lord to go to the market.” She laughs lightly, the tinkling bell laugh of a fairy.

 Zuko shrugs as she looks up at him expectantly. After a moment, Katara seems to accept this as an answer, and they continue their stroll through the marketplace. The waterbender makes comments as they go along.

“Hey, Zuko, do you think I should get that for Toph? Her birthday is coming up – she’s turning fifteen, you know – and she might need a new one…” her voice trails off, but her hand is still pointing to a very pink headband in a nearby store.

“It’s –“ he pauses here, “- girly.” He says, and next to him Katara looks at him as if he’s completely insane.

“Toph is a girl, Zuko,” she explains patiently.

Some of his unexpressed frustration and confusion leaks into his voice. “But Toph isn’t necessarily… girly, is she?” Zuko asks, and without looking at the girl next to him, he knows that she’s rolling her eyes at him.

Katara impatiently tugs onto his arm and they enter the clothing store. “Don’t judge a book by its cover, Zuko,” she warns, before releasing her grip on his arm, and leaving him standing alone in the middle of a women’s clothing and accessories store.

After a minute of aimless browsing in the jewelry section (in which everything is moderately priced), a saleslady walks up to him, smiling brightly. “Are you to pick out something for your lady friend?” She gestures to Katara in the distance, talking with a merchant that runs the store.

The prince rapidly shakes his head. “No – I mean, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” (He’d like to pretend that he didn’t stammer or turn red at the woman’s words.)

The lady just smiles at him benevolently while he tried to figure out where she got the idea of him and Katara being together. His attention is caught again when the corners of the woman’s mouth slope downwards. “Do I know you?” She asks, tilting her head this and that. Thinking to herself: “Maybe if…” She holds up her hands and makes a square, as if she was about to paint his portrait.

“I just can’t place you,” she mutters as Zuko stares, baffled. After a long, quiet moment, the lady, now looking over his shoulder, bows and takes her leave (but not without shooting him suspicious glances). He turns around, only to see Katara walking towards him with (what he assumes) is Toph’s birthday gift.

When she reaches him, she smiles and resumes her hold on his arm. “Ready to go, Zuko?” He nods, and they slowly make their way back to the palace as she rattles on about her choice for Toph’s gift.

* * *

2\. breathing in the dew

The smell of burning candles travels from his nose to his mouth, and it tastes bitter like the squish of grass beneath his feet. Still, he breathes in the light smoke, counting the number of seconds in and out. A shuffle of footsteps outside his door marks the end of his solemn meditation. Zuko stiffly stands up, letting his muscles work themselves out as he stretches.

The Fire Lord lazily glances his eyes toward the open window – only an hour or so after sunrise, his mind appraises; he pushes the light brush of bangs off his forehead, to the side, and slowly walks to the heavy door to the chamber. When it opens, it reveals a slightly anxious Katara.

She looks over his shoulder to see the flaring candles on a low table in the background, and then shuffles her feet nervously. “I forgot you meditated in the morning,” she gulps, “I’ll leave if you want me to,” she adds quietly, unseen blue eyes now looking to the floor.

Zuko simply suppresses the urge to smile, rolls his eyes, and (when he walks away) leaves the door open so she can follow behind.

* * *

3\. flying down the shuttle

“Zuko,” she begins, “I hate to ask anything of you, especially with your busy schedule, but –“ Katara hesitates at this point, cerulean eyes gazing downwards to her deft fingers plucking the blades of grass as if she was playing a carved shamisen.

Zuko makes an impatient noise deep in the back of his throat, making her jump, and kindly implying that she continue speaking.

Katara nods, as if reaffirming herself, and says point blank, “Will you come to Toph’s birthday party?” 

He doesn’t answer, and when she sighs and makes to move away, he catches her elbow with his arm and doesn’t meet her eyes as he asks: “What day is it?” soft and wonderful.

 

* * *

 

4\. streaming with the wind

“I can’t believe this,” Katara mutters, angrily stomping her way through the marketplace, a bemused Zuko at her heels (with a fixed, small smile resting on his face).

They reach the store that they visited not too long ago, and as soon as their feet find themselves at the wooden walls and overly large stairs, Katara turns on the Fire Lord and shakes her head in his face, like one does to a bad puppy. “Stay here,” she commands, and the firebender nods his head in amused acceptance.

He sits on the stoop (something so befitting of a Fire Lord, he muses) and watches: the soft flutter of a leaf twittering down through the soft mill of people; Katara’s voice shifting in the distant background – he’s suddenly reminded of the soft scent of jasmine.

When the door opens near him, Katara comes out, a pacifying smile on her face. “Maybe you were right,” she admits, showing him the new green headband she bought, and taking a seat next to him, “Green is more of Toph’s color.”

 

* * *

 

5\. something in the air

“How do I look, Zuko?” she asks, and Zuko continued reading a scroll in the dim light of the hanging paper lanterns. He says something along the lines of ‘Good, good’, and she playfully slaps him on the arm. “You didn’t even look,” she says, and he doesn’t have to turn to see that she’s trying not to giggle.

The now-Fire Lord just rolls his eyes and twists his body to get a better view of the waterbender: in a moment his mouth is wide open, gazing not at her stunning blue kimono, but at the witty, secret smile on her face – the almost effervescent glow surrounding her seeming so surreal.

“What’s wrong?” Katara asks, a small crease forming between her furrowing brows. “Do I look bad or something?” Her voice holds a tinge of worry.

“No, no,” he’s quick to assure the master waterbender otherwise. “You look… fitting.” A light blush filters onto her face, but she frowns uncertainly about his word choice: he can see that she’s about to ask him, but he sets down the scroll and takes hold of her arm (her cheeks now a rosy tint of carnation pink). 

“Really?” she whispers, voice faintly tickling his ears, voice softer than before, something in it he can’t describe. Zuko nods his head firmly before motioning her to get ready for the doors to open. Only moments after they get into the right positions, the large doors into the ballroom open.

He can hear someone announce their names in the background as they walk down the long, red carpet to greet the guest of honor: a sulking Toph. Even from here, Katara can see the petulant frown planted on the girls face ( _“But I don’t want a damn party, sweetness-”_ ).

When they finally reach the end of the aisle: 

“Hey Toph.” 

“Hey, sweetness. Thanks for the gift.” The end sounds at least a bit sincere.

A small glance between the two girls – ‘I’ll talk to you later’ is what it speaks of.

In the background, Sokka warns Zuko not to touch his sister. They both laugh after a long moment of silence, and the two girls, now chatting about the hot, humid weather, turn to give them strange looks.

“Don’t worry.” He assures, grinning like a fool. “I’ll be careful with her.”


End file.
